The Thirteenth Floor
by Erin T. Aardvark
Summary: The Impossi-Mobile breaks down in front of a creepy hotel, leaving the Impossibles stranded
1. The Hollywood Hotel

_AUTHOR'S NOTE: Another rehash from my Camp Monkee Mallard files (only this one isn't posted on my site anymore). I thought it would make an interesting idea for an Impossibles story. I was inspired by the ride "The Tower of Terror" at the MGM Studios in Disney World (though now it's known as the Disney Hollywood Studios, but the ride's still there). I figured it would be good for Halloween, but I couldn't wait until Halloween to post it. As always, the Impossibles belong to Hanna-Barbera. Everyone else you encounter belongs to me.

* * *

_

It was a dark and stormy night. The Impossibles were driving along on another tour, and it felt like they had been driving for what seemed like hours.

"Coiley, do you even know where you're going?" Fluey asked.

"Of course I do," Coiley said. "It's not my fault visibility is practically zero out here!"

Both Multi and Fluey groaned. It was obvious Coiley didn't know where the heck he was going. They were likely to be wandering around the road aimlessly, until they happened upon a hotel or something.

"First hotel I come to, I'm stopping," Coiley said.

"Good," Multi replied. "We could all use a little shut eye."

"Yeah," Fluey said. "And tomorrow, maybe we can figure out where we're heading."

Thunder clapped and lightning flashed then. Impossi-Mobile ran over something and got a flat tire, right in the middle of nowhere, or so the group thought.

"Rats!" Coiley shouted, pounding on the steering wheel. "Well, we can't find a hotel with a flat tire. And I don't know how to change one."

"Is there a mechanic in the house?" Fluey asked. "We may have to push it back to that gas station we passed."

"That was almost ten miles back," Coiley said. "And this rain . . . . . ."

Suddenly, thunder and lightning flashed again, lighting up the area. Multi happened to be looking out the bus window when lightning struck.

"Hey, we may not have to push the car in the rain after all," he said. "We blew a tire right in front of a hotel!"

"This is a hotel?" Coiley asked.

"Looks more like a tourist trap to me," Fluey said.

"I agree," Coiley said. "Maybe we should push the car to that gas station. I'm getting a weird feeling."

"You said you'd stop at the first hotel we came across, Coiley," Multi said. "And I'm going to hold you to it. Come on, fellas, grab the stuff."

The boys left most of the heavy stuff in the Impossi-Mobile, and took their luggage into the hotel. The building was old, and creepy looking. It looked abandoned.

"The Hollywood Hotel," Coiley said, looking at the sign. "I don't know why, but I don't like the looks of this."

"Me neither," Fluey admitted.

"I think it's because the building is so old," Multi said.

"I think we oughta try to fix the flat and find another hotel," Fluey said. "This place gives me the creeps."

"We're all creeped out because it's thundering out here," Multi said.

Coiley and Fluey sighed and followed Multi into the lobby. The interior looked like it hadn't changed since the 1930's. It was dim, old, and downright creepy looking. Not to mention deserted. Thunder clapped outside again. That only creeped the boys out, but Multi walked up to the front desk, and banged the bell. A pasty looking clerk appeared from a door.

"Aaahhhh," he said, in somewhat of a British accent. "Guests! Welcome to the Hollywood Hotel. Do you have a reservation?"

"No," Multi said. "See, our car got a flat outside your hotel here. We were wondering if you had any vacancies."

"Well, I might be able to squeeze you in," the clerk said. "Let me see what we have here. Our guests will be delighted that you're here. They so very much enjoy a visit from the younger generation. We're all fans of all those teen shows on the television, and the teen songs on the radio. They make our permanent residents feel young."

The clerk laughed, somewhat sinisterly. He checked the register, and then went over to the peg board to get a key. There was only one vacancy, and it happened to be on the thirteenth floor.

"It's the best we can do," the clerk said. "We can't kick anyone out of their rooms, you know."

"Uh huh," Multi said, signing the register book (under his real name, Mark Mills). "I know that. But that's okay. No problem, right guys?"

"You sure about this?" Fluey asked. "I'm getting a case of the mega creeps here."

"It's just the thunderstorm outside," Multi said. "There is absolutely nothing to worry about!"


	2. Hollywood Has Beens

The clerk handed the Multi the room key and the boys headed for the elevator. It was one of those old fashioned birdcage kind, operated by an elevator operator, who had somewhat of a creepy look about him.

_Bong! Bong! Bong!_

The clock in the lobby began to chime. Coiley nearly jumped out of their skin. He looked over at the clock and noticed that it went up to thirteen.

"Hey, fellas," he said. "That clock's striking thirteen."

"Oh yeah," Fluey said, and then he turned to the clerk. "Hey buddy, time to get a new clock!"

"I'll keep that in mind, sir," the clerk said. "Good night, sir."

Fluey nodded, and stepped into the elevator, half expecting it to go up thirteen stories, then zoom to the basement, then zoom back up to the thirteenth floor, and then zoom back down to the basement again. The boys opened the door to their room and looked around. The place looked like the housekeeping people hadn't been there for months. There were dust and cobwebs everywhere.

"Yecchhh," Fluey said. "I don't mind telling you guys this place is freaking me out."

"You said it," Coiley said. "This place looks like it's haunted!"

"I doubt it's haunted," Multi said, walking over to the phone. It was one of those old fashioned 1930's style dial phones. "Just old. And by the looks of this phone, you don't really know how old it is."

"Just the same, I'd feel better if Skittles were here," Coiley said.

"Actually, I would, too," Multi said. They had to leave Multi's puppy back at headquarters this time around. It didn't set well with the pup, since she and Multi were practically joined at the hip, but many of the places they were playing didn't allow pets.

"Well, I'd better call a mechanic about that flat tire," Multi said.

Multi picked up the receiver, and lightning flashed outside, and an extremely loud clap of thunder sounded. Coiley and Fluey nearly hit the roof! Multi nearly dropped the phone.

"I hope that wasn't an omen," he said. He picked up the phone, but he didn't even get a dial tone.

"I think the phone's dead," Multi replied.

"It's an old phone," Coiley said. "Maybe it just takes awhile for it to warm up."

Multi began dialing, anyway. Instead of a dial tone, or even a ring, a loud screech was heard on the other end. Multi cringed, and hung up the phone right away.

"What was _that_?!" he shouted.

"What was what?" Fluey asked, and he picked up the phone, heard the screech, and hung up right away,

"Man, that was weird!" he shouted.

"Something funny's going on here," Coiley said. "And I don't mean funny ha-ha."

That was the understatement of the night.

After a practically sleepless night, the boys went back down to the lobby to go fix the flat tire. They had to admit the hotel didn't look as creepy as it did the night before, but they couldn't shake that creepy feeling, though. They walked up to the front desk, and Multi rang the bell.

"Yes sir?" the desk clerk asked. "Don't tell me you're leaving so soon."

"Well, we are," Multi said. "We've got a gig to play. Incidentally, I don't think the phone lines in the hotel are working."

"What makes you say that, sir?"

"Well, whenever one of us dials a number, we get this screech."

"I'll look into it right away, sir."

Multi nodded, picked up his luggage, and headed for the front door. Before he could leave, Coiley and Fluey burst back inside.

"Multi, the car is dead," Coiley said.

"What?" Multi asked.

"It's dead. It won't start, and the tires have been stolen."

"You gotta be kidding me!"

"I'm not kidding, Multi! The chassis is banged up, the headlights and taillights are smashed, the tires are gone, and the engine is dead! It won't start at all!"

"Okay, fine. We'll just use our guitars and . . . . . ."

"We can't."

"Why not?"

Coiley said, nothing, and pulled out his, and Multi's guitars. They were completely smashed to pieces. Fluey's was left intact, however, mainly because his didn't have the communicator in it like Coiley's and Multi's.

"Fluey, what about your wrist communicator?" Multi asked.

"For some reason, it's not working," Fluey said, shrugging.

"Well, the phones aren't working in the hotel," Multi said. "Looks like we're stuck."

"It's funny," Fluey said. "But it's like somebody doesn't want us to leave."

Thunder clapped suddenly. The Impossibles jumped and looked out the nearest window. It was a bright, sunny day. Not a trace of a thunderstorm in the sky.

"Why don't you meet all our other guests?" he asked. "Nothing but the Hollywood elite stay at the Hollywood Hotel."

"Hollywood elite, huh?" Fluey asked. "Then we should be seeing some big stars."

The clerk led the group into the hotel's library, and the only guests there looked like old fogies.

"Here are some of Hollywood's finest," he said.

"What is this?" Fluey asked. "Some kind of retirement center?"

"Allow me to introduce them," the clerk said. "Over there is Cathy Heartburn."

"A genuine pleasure, dahlings, rally it is," Cathy Heartburn said, (and she talked like Katherine Hepburn).

"Continuing along," the clerk said. "Over there is Clerk Grabble."

Clerk Grabble nodded to the group, and that was about it. He had big ears, a lot like Clark Gable's. Perhaps even larger.

"Next, the Marcs Brothers," the clerk said. "Grumpo, Checko, and Hippo."

"Hey, don't we know you from somewhere?" Checko Marcs asked, looking at the boys.

"I never forget a face," Grumpo said. "But in your case, I'll make an exception."

"Ripped that straight off the Marx Brothers, I tell you," Fluey said.

"Next, Magnolia Swansong," the clerk said. "The comeback queen of Tinsel Town."

"Dahling, you know I can't stand that word," Magnolia Swansong said.

"And last, but certainly not least," the clerk said. "Lizzie Mavis."

"A pleasure, dahlings," Lizzie Mavis said. Coiley got a good look at her. She sort of reminded him of Bette Davis. Or at least her eyes did.

"Hollywood's elite, you said?" he asked.

"Well, back during Tinsel Town's golden days, of course," the clerk said.

"Oh of course," Fluey said. Then he turned to the others. "Hey fellas? Let's get out of here."

"I'm with you," Multi replied. "There's something funny about this whole set up."

"Oh, you can't leave now, rally you can't," Cathy said. "You just got here."

"I hate to introduce and run, but I'd really like to get back to my room," Fluey said.

"So would the rest of us," Coiley said. "This hotel is really starting to remind me of the Haunted Mansion."

"What's missing is the ghosts," Multi said.

Just then, a duck skeleton wearing Groucho Marx glasses fell from the ceiling right in front of the boys.

"You just said the secret woid," Grumpo said. "Say the secret woid, and the duck comes down."

"So does my life span," Fluey said.

As if that wasn't bad enough, the duck jumped off the string it was tied to, and walked off. The boys beat a hasty retreat out of the library. The whole thing was freaking them out, but badly.

"Oh man, oh man, oh man!" Fluey shouted.

"I'm willing to walk fifty miles to town and get a mechanic!" Coiley shouted. Multi agreed.

The Impossibles headed for the elevators and went back up to their rooms for the moment. Unknown to them, the desk clerk was watching their every move. He went back to the library and sat down in his chair.

"They're out of earshot," he said.

"Good," Magnolia replied. "We have only one more day to wait to do this."

"Yes, and it couldn't have come at a better time," Cathy said. "Rally it couldn't."

"It's such a chore," Lizzie replied. "Having to wait thirteen years in between intervals. Do you realize how hard it is to get teenagers to this site these days?"

"Very," Clerk said. "But frankly, my dear, I don't give a darn to how they get here. Just so long as they get here. Like those three boys. Musicians, yet."

"Teenage pop stars," Grumpo said. "They pop more then your eardrums with the kind of music they do these days. Give me a good piano any day."

Hippo honked a horn and wheeled in a large grand piano. The others groaned.

"It doesn't matter," Lizzie said. "Teenagers give off the best energy."

"Rally they do," Cathy replied.


	3. Going Down

Upstairs, the Impossibles were just sitting around, doing nothing. Well, Coiley and Multi were sitting around. Fluey was pacing the room.

"Something's not right about this hotel," he said. "Especially with those Hollywood has been's down there."

"Yeah," Coiley said. "Cathy Heartburn, Clerk Grabble, the Marcs Brothers, Magnolia Swansong, and Lizzie Mavis. I hear they were big in the thirties and forties. Maybe even the twenties, too."

As the boys were thinking more about the situation, Fluey suddenly noticed something from the fireplace. He went over to investigate, and ended up pulling out scraps of newspapers.

"Hey guys, look at this!" he shouted.

"Let's see," Coiley said. "While on tour, pop singing groups, The Rainbow Girls and Synchronize, vanished mysteriously from the Hollywood Hotel area. And this was about . . . . twenty-six years ago, according to the date on the newspaper."

"And thirteen years after that, a group of teenage actors disappeared mysteriously from the Hollywood Hotel area," Multi said, looking at the clippings.

"I know," Fluey said, nervously.

"That's kind of weird," Multi said. "I don't understand it."

"And that's not all," Fluey said, handing some more newspaper clippings to Multi. "Look at these."

"Cathy Heartburn dies at age eighty-seven, heart failure. Clerk Grabble, cancer, age seventy-six. Grumpo Marcs, dies of complications due to pneumonia, age seventy-five. Checko Marcs, heart failure, age eighty. Hippo Marcs, complications from a stroke, age eighty-two. Magnolia Swansong, natural causes, age ninety-two. Lizzie Mavis, cancer, age ninety-three."

The Impossibles glanced at each other nervously after finding out this information.

"We just were talking to ghosts!" Fluey shouted. "Oh man, oh man, I knew it! I knew it! I just knew this hotel was haunted!"

"Yeah, but I don't see the connection," Multi said, looking at the clippings. "Wait a minute. It says here all those kids staid at the Hollywood Hotel at the times they disappeared. Quick, what's today?!"

"July twelfth," Coiley said.

"That would make tomorrow the thirteenth," Multi said. "I see a pattern. Those kids disappeared on the thirteenth day of the month. And they were all teenagers . . . ."

"And they all disappeared from this hotel," Fluey said.

"And those kids were never found," Coiley said.

"Holy ectoplasm!" Multi shouted. "We could be in trouble if that's the case!"

"We'd better get out of here!" Fluey shouted.

The group ran for the door, but found it was locked.

"We're trapped," Multi said.

"Not for long," Fluey said. "Time to do the quick change things, fellas!"

The boys took a couple of steps back, and prepared to go into their quick change routine, but nothing happened. They tried again, but still, nothing happened.

"This is really weird," Fluey said.

"Let's use our transformers," Multi said, and he and the others took their hand-held devices out of their pockets, and pressed the buttons on them. These transformer devices allowed them to switch back and forth from their superhero alter egos when they were separated. However, nothing was happening this time around.

"This isn't working," Multi said.

"What do we do?" Fluey asked.

"I don't know but we're going to have to be on our guard," Coiley said. "I don't know what these creeps want us for, but I have a feeling they're up to no good."

The boys began to grow a little nervous. They had no idea what was going to happen, but they just knew it wasn't going to be pretty. They couldn't get out of their room, either. All the doors had been locked from the outside. Fluey desparately tried to activate his wrist communicator, but he couldn't get anything except static.

"It's no use," he said. "Something's jamming the signal."

"But we have to do _some_thing!" Coiley shouted.

Nobody knew what to do. They couldn't get out of the room, either. Hours passed. It was exactly twelve midnight. Back in the library, those Hollywood has beens were looking at the clock on the mantle, sipping champagne.

"It's time," Clerk said. "Time to put our plan into action."

"Yes," Lizzie said. "And then, at thirteen o' clock, phase two will come into play! Is the elevator ready, Cathy?"

"Rally it is, Lizzie, dahling," Cathy said.

"At the certain time, the elevator will come down," Grumpo said.

"Go to it," Magnolia replied.

The desk clerk nodded, and pulled a lever. The entire hotel began to shake. Almost immediately, the Impossibles were on their feet.

"Now what?" Multi asked.

"Is it an earthquake?" Coiley asked.

"No," Fluey replied. "I don't know what it is, but we'd better split!"

The door flew open, and the Impossibles ran for the stairway, but were blocked off.

"Now what do we do?" Coiley asked.

"Hey, fellas!" Fluey called. "The elevator's still working!"

"Shouldn't you use the stairs in an emergency?" Multi asked.

"Show us how we're supposed to get to the stairs," Fluey said. "We either use the elevator, or we jump out the window."

"Going down!" Coiley shouted, and ran into the elevator, followed by Multi.

"How does this thing work?" Coiley asked.

"Beats me," Fluey said. "I'm used to the electric elevators at the mall."

"I think I might know," Multi said. "My dad's been inside one of these old elevators."

Multi managed to get the elevator working, and the boys went down about ten floors, and then went back up again.

"Funny, I thought I told this thing to go down," Multi said.

"Yeah, and we're going back up," Fluey said. "What gives?"

"I think trouble," Coiley said.

"What makes you say that?" Multi asked.

"Call it a hunch."

The boys went back up to the thirteenth floor. Once they reached the top, the cable on the elevator car snapped, and it went flying down the shaft. The boys let out a deafening scream. As they were flying down the shaft, the ground began to shake again, and the entire Hollywood Hotel began to sink into the ground, until it finally disappeared from sight.

Once the hotel was out of sight, the elevator crashed to a halt. Coiley, Multi, and Fluey were completely dazed.

"What happened?" Coiley asked.

"I feel like I was hit with a sack of lead!" Multi shouted.

"Anybody get the license number of that truck?" Fluey asked. He shook his head out and stood up. "Where are we anyway?"

"Probably the sub-basement of the hotel," Multi said. "Where else would that elevator take us? And what other place would be as creepy?"

"The Netherworld," a voice said. The boys turned around and saw the desk clerk, Clerk Grabble, and the Marcs Brothers standing there. They looked a little different, though. Older, even. They looked like they were falling apart, whereas on the surface, they looked as though they spent an eternity at a plastic surgeon's office.

"I think you guys should sue your plastic surgeons," Fluey said.

"We don't need any plastic surgery," Clerk Grabble said. "We're already dead."

"Yeah, the living dead," Grumpo replied. "Zombies, you might say."

"Zombies?!" Coiley shouted.

"I knew there was something funny about this hotel," Fluey said. "Come on, guys, let's get out of here!"

The boys started to run, but there was nowhere for them to go. Cathy Heartburn blocked off one entrance, as did Magnolia Swansong and Lizzie Mavis. They were surrounded.

"You boys aren't going anywhere, rally you aren't," Cathy said.

"Says you," Fluey said. "Stand back! These hands are practically registered weapons!"

The entire fleet laughed. Fluey shrugged and began to warm himself up for one heck of a punch.

"All right, you asked for it," he said.

Fluey wound up and punched Hippo Marcs right the face. Hippo staggered backwards and hit the wall, causing his arm to break off at the elbow and it clattered to the ground. Hippo honked his horn with his other hand, picked up his arm, and snapped it back into place.

"Ew!" Fluey shouted.

"Yuck!" Coiley yelled.

"That's disgusting!" Multi exclaimed.

"Yeah, but what can ya do?" Checko asked. "Us undead are collapsible."

"But enough about that, dahlings," Magnolia said. "Now, follow us. We'll show you to your quarters."

The Hollywood Has-Beens started leading the boys down a hallway.

"It's almost thirteen o' clock," Clerk said. "Do you know what that means?"

"Yeah, time to get a new clock," Fluey replied.

"No," Magnolia said. "It's time to put phase two into action. Chives! Bring out the machine!"

Chives (the desk clerk) nodded and wheeled a large contraption that looked like a large laser gun into the room. The boys just stared at it, dumbfounded.

"What is _that_ thing?" Multi asked.

"I'm so glad you asked, dahling, rally I am," Cathy replied. "We gather the youthful spirit of teenage stars, which have the most spirit of anyone in the show business, rally they do."

"So every thirteen or so years," Clerk said. "We take teenagers down here, who happen to be in show business, whether they be movie stars, television stars, or recording stars, and on the thirteenth day of the month at the thirteenth hour, we drain their spirit so that we can get young again."

"Personally, I don't think it works," Fluey replied.

"Oh it does," Lizzie said. "But only for thirteen years. We haven't perfected the machine yet, but this time, I think we have."

"But what happens to the kids you drained?" Multi asked.

Chives snapped his fingers, and a fleet of horrible looking zombies entered the room. They were former teen stars who had their spirits drained, just for the Hollywood has beens.

"They become our zombie slaves," Chives said. "And so will you, once we're done with you."

"Oh no we won't!" Fluey shouted. "You'll never get away with this!"

Lizzie turned to the boys, and took Fluey's chin in her hand. She looked him square in the eye, and gave him a look that was pure evil.

"I think it will be fun to drain _this_ one's spirit," she said. "He's got a lot of promise."

"I can't wait," Cathy said. "I'll be young and beautiful again, rally I will!"

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Fluey said, and then he launched into a Katherine Hepburn impression. "Rally I am."

"We've got to get out of this before we're toast," Coiley said. "But how?"

"We're going to have to make a break for it," Multi said. "Follow my lead."

The boys were led to a cell, where the Has Beens were planning on keeping them until the thirteenth hour.

"Now then, once it's thirteen o' clock, we'll be ready to drain your spirit," Clerk said.

"You'll have to catch us first!" Multi shouted, punching Clerk in the nose.

"Rally ho!" the trio shouted, and they made a break for it as fast as they could.

"After them!" Lizzie shouted.

Clerk quickly reached out, and managed to grab Fluey by the back of his shirt collar.

"Gotcha!" he shouted.

"Hey, fellas!" Fluey called out. "Rally help!"

"Oh no you don't!" he shouted, clamping his hand over Fluey's mouth. "You're not going anywhere!"

Coiley and Multi, however, happened to hear their comrade, and stopped.

"Holy horrendous!" Coiley shouted. "They've caught Fluey!"

"We'll have to come back for him," Multi said. "Right now, we've got to keep running, or else they'll catch us, too!"

Coiley had to agree with that one, and he and Multi ran off as fast as they possibly could.

"The other two are getting away!" Magnolia yelled.

"Forget them, dahling," Cathy said. "This one has enough energy to complete the process. We won't need to drain the other two after we drain him. Rally we won't."

"But they'll still have to be taken care of," Clerk said, beginning to struggle with keeping his hold on Fluey, who was trying to break out of the Has Been's iron grip.

"Right," Lizzie said. "Clerk, you and the Marcs Brothers take care of the this spirited little twerp. We girls will take care of his twerpy friends."

Clerk nodded, and proceeded to take Fluey toward the machine. It wasn't easy, though. Fluey was putting up quite a fight.

"All right, you little turkey," Clerk said. "You asked for it!"

With one quick motion, Clerk grabbed Fluey by his shoulders and slammed him into the wall as hard as he could. Fluey didn't have any time to react. The back of his head hit the wall, and the blow knocked him out cold. Clerk snickered, and continued dragging Fluey down the hallway.

Meanwhile, Coiley and Multi managed to find their way out of the lab, and ended up in what looked like Hollywood from the 1920's and 1930's.

"Now what do we do?" Coiley asked.

"We'd better split up," Multi said. "It'll be harder for them to catch us that way."

"I hope you're right, Multi," Coiley said, and the boys split up, each running in down opposite sides of the street.


	4. Processing

Multi wandered on an old western set, growing more and more nervous by the second.

"I never liked horror movies," he asked. "Especially when when they're happening to _me_! Besides the thought about the living dead makes me feel . . . ."

Multi stopped short suddenly. He felt like he was being followed.

"How does it make you feel, dahling?" Magnolia asked.

"Sick to my stomach," Multi replied, in somewhat of a weak voice. He quickly turned around and saw the Hollywood Has Beens standing there. Lizzie and Cathy took guns out of their pockets and aimed them at him. Then the two of them indicated an old saw mill in the distance.

"Okay, march," Lizzie said.

Multi gulped and headed for the saw mill. Since he wasn't able to change to his superhero alter ego, he didn't have much choice. Once there, Lizzie and Magnolia practically threw him onto the conveyor belt and tied him to it, though he was a little confused.

"I thought you had to drain my energy," he said.

"Normally we would," Magnolia said. "But your little dark-haired friend's got more than enough for us. His energy alone will complete the process. But you and your chubby little buddy will have to be disposed of."

Magnolia then turned on a buzz saw. Then the Hollywood has beens left to finish their plot. It was a lucky break that the conveyor belt was old and rusted. The ride was slow, but torturous.

"I wish villains would do these things in a hurry," he said. "The anxiety of waiting to get killed really gets to a person sometimes. What am I saying?! I've got to get out of this!"

Multi writhed around, trying to get himself loose. It wasn't an easy task, especially with that buzz saw humming, and it seemed to be getting closer and closer.

Coiley was still looking around the old movie sets, trying to find his way back to the Has-Been's lab.

"I hope I can find that place again before it's too late," he said. "I'm surprised I haven't run smack into a zombie yet."

Coiley spoke too soon. One of the Hollywood Has Beens' zombie slaves jumped out from behind Coiley and tackled him to the ground. The blond Impossible screamed, and shook the zombie off his back. Then he stood up and looked at it.

"Speak of the devil," he said.

The zombie growled, and more of them came out into the open, ready to do some serious damage. Coiley gulped and looked at his surroundings. This sure wasn't going to be an easy task, he knew that much. He raised his fists, ready to fight.

"Go ahead," he said. "Make my millennium."

The zombies lunged. Coiley began throwing punches left and right, which held the zombies at bay, for the time being. Most of them fell to pieces, and could be found trying to put together their arms and legs. Coiley made a face and ran off.

"I'd better find Multi," he said. "I think maybe we can find the lab together, rather than split up."

Coiley ran off, leaving the zombies there. Multi in the meantime, was still wriggling around, trying to get at loose. No such luck. He was tied too tightly. The buzz saw inched closer and closer.

"This isn't working," he said. "There's only one thing to do now. COILEY!"

Luckily, Coiley heard the scream, and ran off in the direction from which it came. He dashed inside the saw mill and his jaw nearly hit the floor.

"Splitting splinters!" he shouted. "Multi, what happened?!"

"Those Hollywood Has Beens caught me," Multi said. "Hurry, turn off the saw and untie me! We don't have a minute to spare!"

"Right," Coiley asked as he turned off the buzz saw. "But why didn't they take you down to the lab?"

"They said they didn't need my energy, or your energy. Fluey's got enough of it to complete their process."

"Holy horrific! We've got to hurry back to the lab!"

"If we're lucky, we can make it before they drain Fluey. Come on! It's almost thirteen o' clock!"

Multi and Coiley ran out of the saw mill, and ran for the direction of an old castle, figuring that was the lab. There wasn't a second to spare. They had to stop the Hollywood Has Beens and fast!

It was only a few minutes to thirteen o' clock. The Has Beens had their machine all set. Fluey had been restrained to a chair, with leather straps over his chest, lap, wrists, and ankles. A leather strap also covered his mouth to keep him from yelling for help.

"Is he ready?" Lizzie asked as she, Cathy, and Magnolia came into the lab.

"All set," Checko replied.

"Then fire it up, and let's get started!" Lizzie shouted.

Checko rubbed his hands together gleefully, and pulled a lever on the machine. A beam shot out of it and hit Fluey, surrounding him in some kind of glow. Fluey let out a scream as his energy was being sucked out of him.

"There's nothing you can do now," Cathy said. "Rally there isn't."

"We'll be young forever very shortly," Clerk said. "And you will be our zombie slave!"

Fluey believed that. He could feel himself deteriorating. He began to weaken, and his head slumped onto his chest.

"It won't be long now," Clerk said.

"We'll have all the slaves we want to do our bidding," Magnolia said.

"Not if we can help it!" Coiley yelled. He and Multi had reached the headquarters, and were ready to fight.

"What are you doing here?" Clerk asked.

"We're going stop you, that's what we're doing here!" Multi shouted.

"Oh yeah?" Grumpo asked. "Well, I've got just the thing for a couple of nosy busy bodies!"

"Keep the machine on the kid," Magnolia said to Lizzie. "No matter what."

"Right," Lizzie said, and she and the rest of the women handled Fluey, while the men took care of the cavalry.

The Marcs Brothers wheeled out another kind of contraption, and began to blast Coiley and Multi with it. The two of them dodged like crazy.

"What do we do now?" Coiley asked.

"Good question," Multi said. "They'd notice if we went over there and tried to bust up the machine."

"Yeah, and if we don't move it quick, we're dead!"

"This is a tough one."

Hippo began firing like crazy, twirling the laser in every direction imaginable, practically hitting everything in it's path. Luckily, Coiley and Multi were hiding behind a rock, so they couldn't be found.

"We can't stay here forever," Multi said.

"And if we go out there, we're sitting ducks," Coiley said. "And we've got to stop these creeps fast! I don't know how much longer Fluey can hold out!"

"We've got to get that laser off him, and onto the Has-Beens, before it's too late!"

"And I think I know how!"

Multi stared at Coiley for a moment, and then Coiley ran straight for Lizzie, tackling her to the ground. Then, he pushed a button on the machine, and put it in reverse, which transferred the energy the Has Beens had sucked from Fluey back into him, though he was still a bit weakened.

"Why you little . . . . ." Lizzie shouted, ready to strangle Coiley.

Quickly, Coiley turned the machine on Lizzie, and set it so the laser would suck the energy out of her. Then, Coiley turned it on the rest of the Has Beens, and started sucking the spirit out of them.

"No!" Clerk shouted. "You can't do this to us!"

"He can, and he is!" Multi shouted, somewhat smugly.

"I was so close to becoming immortal!" Cathy wailed. "Rally, I was!

The Hollywood Has Beens all screamed as they were being drained. Suddenly, the machine began to shake and smoke was starting to come out of it.

"Exasperating ectoplasm!" Coiley shouted. "With so much energy in this thing, it can't take it!"

"Hit the deck!" Multi shouted. He and Coiley dove to the floor, just as the machine exploded. Parts and pieces flew everywhere, as well as several spirits. They were all spirits of teenagers that the Has Beens had been draining.

With the teens' spirits gone, the Has Beens had no means of getting younger, and they turned into horrible looking zombies. They all sank into the ground and disappeared. Coiley and Multi ran to Fluey and began unstrapping him.

"Boy, am I glad you guys showed up!" he shouted.

"We'd better get out of here," Multi said. "I don't trust this place."

Multi had good reason not to trust the place. The group began to run out, but as they were, a hand of a Hollywood zombie reached out from under the ground and grabbed Fluey by the ankle.

"Ack!" he shouted. "Hey fellas! Zombie alert!"

"Oh no!" Coiley shouted. "They're coming up!"

"These Hollywood Has Beens won't give up without a fight!" Multi yelled.

Hollywood zombies began reaching up and grabbing onto the boys, trying to pull them down further into the underworld than they already were.

"What are we going to do?!" Multi shouted.

"There's only one chance," Fluey said. "I've seen every zombie picture ever made, and they can't come out when the sun's out. Zombies can only terrorize at night. If they come out in the sun, they'll just fall apart!"

"It's worth a shot," Coiley said. "Crow like a rooster! Quick!"

The boys began crowing like roosters, as loudly as they possibly could. They were pretty convincing. The zombies retreated, never to be heard from again. Multi breathed a sigh of relief, and then led the boys over to the old elevator.

"Going up!" he yelled, pulling the lever. The elevator raced to the top floor, which happened to be the surface level.

"Everybody off!" Coiley shouted, and he, Multi, and Fluey practically ran off it.

"Am I ever glad _that's_ over!" Coiley shouted.

"After that, I am _never_ watching those late night horror movies on TV for as long as I live!" Fluey yelled.

At that moment, a police car drove by. The officer stopped, rolled down his window, and leaned out.

"Something wrong, boys?" he asked.

"Well . . . . ." Multi said, thoughtfully, wondering if he should tell the cop about what had happened. But then he realized he wouldn't believe it.

"Think you could give us a lift to town?" he asked instead. "Our car broke down, and we don't have any way to call a mechanic."

"Sure thing," the cop said. "Where's your car?"

"Over there," Coiley said, indicating the Impossi-Mobile.

"What's wrong with it?" the cop asked. "Looks okay to me."

"Huh?" Fluey asked, looking at the Impossi-Mobile. He was completely shocked to see the car completely restored.

"But . . . . but . . . . . but it was totaled!" he shouted. "And . . . . . and the guitars were smashed up, too!"

Coiley walked over to the car, and pulled out his guitar. Multi pulled his out, and they were restored, too. They were just as stunned as Fluey was. Even the flat tire they had gotten was fixed!

"You boys all right?" the cop asked, coming out of the car, eyeing them suspiciously. "Can I see your licenses, please?"

"Really, officer, I don't know what happened!" Coiley shouted, as he, Multi, and Fluey handed the officer their driver's licenses. "We blew a tire outside the Hollywood Hotel and . . . ."

"Hollywood Hotel?!" the cop shouted. "There's no such thing as the Hollywood Hotel anymore! Sure, it used to be in this location, but they tore it down twenty years ago!"

"But . . . . but . . . . ." Multi stammered.

"But it really _was_ here last night!" Fluey shouted. "And . . . . and . . . . ."

"Uh huh, I see," the cop said with a nod. "You boys _do _realize underage drinking is against the law, don't you?"

"But . . . . but we _haven't_ been drinking!" Fluey protested. "See, what happened was . . . . "

"Forget it, Fluey," Coiley sighed. "He'll never believe it."

And that was all there was to that. The Impossibles just boarded the Impossi-Mobile and drove off for their next gig.

"I don't get how this could've happened," Multi said.

"Did it even happen?" Coiley asked. "Or was it some kind of strange three way nightmare?"

"I don't know about that," Fluey said. "But I do know _one _thing's for sure after that whole thing!"

"What's that, Fluey?" Multi asked.

"We need a vacation!" Fluey shouted.

The End


End file.
